


mercy and loyalty are an even trade

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Armitage Hux is Not Nice, Diverence after the throne room scene, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, M/M, Manipulation, Supreme Leader Armitage Hux, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:54:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22797406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: As the new Supreme Leader, Hux is revered by the First Order for his brutally effective strategies; however, he feels as if something is missing. What he needs is an enforcer, a right-hand man who can be all that he is not. The solution comes in the form of a certain imprisoned Knight of Ren.Or, what if Hux didn't hesitate in the throne room and became the Supreme Leader instead.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20





	mercy and loyalty are an even trade

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [I'll Always Save You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7249018) by [saltandlimes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltandlimes/pseuds/saltandlimes). 



> This was mostly inspired by "I'll Always Save You" by saltandlimes with different means to the same end. I thought I'd test the waters with a little prologue. Hope you enjoy!

It didn’t take long at all before the entirety of the First Order discovered that Kylo Ren had assassinated their Supreme Leader.

General Hux was the one who first discovered the carnage in the throne room, and he didn’t hesitate to set his blaster to stun before firing on Kylo’s still-breathing body. He ordered a Stormtrooper patrol to take the traitor away to an interrogation chair (incidentally the same chair Kylo had used on the scavenger girl). A few short hours later, news that the defected Stormtrooper FN-2187 and his Resistance friend had caused the death of Captain Phasma rippled throughout the First Order ranks, causing unimaginable turmoil. With the First Order leadership gutted, despair and disorder hung in the air.

Who else to turn to but Supreme Leader Hux?

The new Supreme Leader found himself going from the mocked and powerless figurehead to the last hope of the First Order quite literally overnight. It was everything he had ever dreamed of since he was just the little bastard boy of Brendol Hux.

Hux adjusted to this new role rather impressively. He brought the First Order victory after victory on a grander scale than being a mere general ever allowed him. Though ultimately unable to locate the Resistance base, Hux’s work kept any true threat from brewing. This show of wit earned him back the loyalty and reverence he had lost with Starkiller; however, there was still one very large problem indeed. 

He was decidedly not a warrior, and as the Supreme Leader of a militaristic order, this simply wouldn’t do. Of course, he was top of combat classes during his Academy years and could easily best the some of the toughest of opponents in hand-to-hand combat; but, in no universe could Hux inspire the kind of fear that Kylo had. The Knight of Ren crushed entire battalions single-handedly while armed only with his fabled unstable lightsaber and his unmatched connection to the Force. 

Hux was more-or-less always aware that this would be a hurdle in his leadership abilities, and that understanding was what had prompted him to imprison Kylo instead of killing him. 

So, for the first time in nearly a year, Hux decided to pay his prisoner a visit.

Kylo had been moved from the interrogation wing to the holding cells soon after his capture, and he had been there ever since, languishing in a filthy, unlit room furnished only with a large bucket that some unlucky Stormtrooper who had committed some transgression or another would be responsible for dumping out once a week. In other words, Kylo lived in filth. 

When the door hissed open, Hux’s wrist flew to his mouth as the stench filtered out of the room. Kylo scurried to a corner, as fast as his Force-dampening cuffs would allow. Hux waited for smells to filter out a bit more before truly gazing upon his old rival.

Kylo, wearing nothing but shackles and briefs, was covered head-to-toe with the evidence of the First Order’s fury regarding his crime. Hux was certain the entire crew of the  _ Supremacy _ must have come to visit by the look of Kylo’s skin. New welts mixed with old scars. Chunks of his hair were torn out and one of his eyes was blackened. The other was an ugly yellow that appeared much farther along in the healing process. Hux was almost shocked to see Kylo in this state, shivering and whimpering in the corner. 

This was nothing like the insolent boy who carried himself like a king, bathing in his sheer power and might. This was a man, cut off from the Force and beaten into submission. Hux had known that Kylo had been the object of various torments, but he hadn’t known (or cared to know) the true extent of his torture. 

“Hello, Ren,” Hux said after a long moment. Kylo doesn’t respond. He’s so skinny now, so broken. Hux wonders if this project is worth pursuing at all. Perhaps, at this point, Kylo’s mind was forever lost and it would be best to just deliver a merciful blaster shot between his eyes. 

_ No, _ Hux reminds himself.  _ I need him.  _

Tortured or not, Kylo Ren was still one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy and would stay as such. All he needed was a little food, a little retraining, and he would be on his way reclaiming his previous reputations. No Stormtrooper would dare even look in his direction when Hux was finished recreating Kylo. 

The only thing Hux lacked was insurance that Kylo wouldn’t simply kill him the moment he regains a sense of security. 

This would be the project of his life, Hux was sure. Images of Hux himself, exalted Emperor of the entire galaxy with the legendary Kylo Ren at his side ran through his mind as stared at the mangled creature before him. 

“Oh, Kylo,” Hux whispered. “We’re going to do great things, you and I.” 


End file.
